


iil orhma

by js71



Series: Assorted Star Wars Splashes (w/Dai Bendu) [5]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Ahsoka Tano Eats Bugs, Anakin Skywalker Eats Bugs, Dai Bendu, Force Bond (Star Wars), Gen, Jedi Positivity, Jedi as Found Family (Star Wars), Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Planet Tatooine (Star Wars)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:48:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27144073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/js71/pseuds/js71
Summary: iil orhma: (Dai Bendu) lit. to freeze warmthIn the day, a desert is burning hot, while at night, it is freezing cold.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Owen Lars & Anakin Skywalker
Series: Assorted Star Wars Splashes (w/Dai Bendu) [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1977589
Comments: 4
Kudos: 107





	iil orhma

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Nothing To Write Home About](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9415241) by [Redrikki](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redrikki/pseuds/Redrikki). 
  * Inspired by [Connotations {orhma, Anohrah}](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26028790) by [ghostwriterofthemachine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostwriterofthemachine/pseuds/ghostwriterofthemachine). 



Outside of Jabba's Palace, there were two. Owen couldn't get a good look at either of them in the darkness, but they were close together, backs pressed against a boulder, close to the building, but also a fair distance away. One of the two stood up as Owen got closer, and he had to squint to make out who it was.

Yep. That would be his step-brother. Looking older than the last time he'd seen him, and a good deal less pissed-off, but Owen had a good memory, and he pulled up nearby, but not too far away. Anakin turned, crouching by the second figure, who moved slightly. In the moonlight, Owen could make out the faint impressions of a togruta, and a young one at that. Anakin helped her up, the girl leaning against him, and the two of them shuffled to the speeder, getting in the back.

"Thanks for coming," he said, and Owen made a noise of acknowledgement. The togruta leaned forwards, tilting her head at him, and he met her eyes. Too young to be around the Palace.

"Tamah keel jaieh raheniel?" She asked, and Owen turned his gaze from her, onto Anakin, who tugged her back, letting her lean against him. She closed her eyes, tilting her head against his shoulder, one of his arms around her shoulders, reassuring, calming, but also wary. As if they were new to each other, but still cared. Odd.

"Haj dai," he murmured, setting his chin on the top of her head, between the points of her - montrals, Owen was pretty sure they were called. Togruta weren't all too common on Tattoine. His eyes met Owen's. "She's asking if we're related."

"Step-brother," Owen said blandly, as it was the best answer he could come up with. Not like Anakin had ever really acknowledged their relation; they'd exchanged maybe six sentences each over comms, all of it due to Anakin calling the wrong person, and then calling him on purpose for this whatever you wanted to call it. The togruta, to his addition to the conversation, nodded slowly. There was a brief pause, and then utter silence, as Owen started up the speeder again, and silence, all the way back.

Somewhere along the way, the togruta had fallen asleep. Anakin didn't say anything, picking her up, as if it were easy, and following Owen into the homestead. Halfway inside, Owen caught the murmurs of another language, likely the one the girl had spoken in earlier, before she'd passed out, and glanced back, catching Anakin watching her face, which was curled in, facing his shoulder, one of her hands tangled in the robes he wore. Black. Not good for a desert during the day; a bit better at night, but still not a great choice.

Beru was waiting up for them, her expression changing minutely at the sight of the girl, rising from her seat, and placing a hand on her forehead. "Should she be so warm?"

Anakin paused at that, blinking slowly, and looking down at her, before nodding. "Yeah, it's fine. She's okay."

Owen really wanted to know why his step-brother had a teenage togruta with him since he clearly had no idea how to care for her. She did have a lightsaber, which probably meant they'd been working together, doing whatever they'd been doing. He didn't want to know, personally. He didn't say anything, following Beru as she led them to the guest bedroom, which only had one bed.

"We didn't realize you had a friend," she apologized, but Anakin didn't care, setting the girl down, gently unwinding her fingers from his robes. She grumbled something, fingers tightening around his, and he murmured back, softly.

"It's fine," he said, setting her hand down, and glancing up at Beru and Owen. "Ahsoka can take the bed, I'll take the floor."

"We have another room," Beru said, but he shook his head, the girl shifting, brow furrowing, the markings above her eyes bunching up. Anakin picked up her hand again, and the lines smoothed out.

"She can sense me. I'll stay with her."

Owen really wasn't interested in arguing that point - if Anakin wanted to wreck his back, that was his problem. No use in arguing with him. He did, however, stay in the doorway, the lights off, his shadow falling over Anakin's, the room lit only by the hall light, a faint yellow.

"How'd you two end up together?"

Anakin scoffed, sounding fond, and turned his back to the shelf the bed was on, letting the girls hand rest on his shoulder, fingers curling in the fabric of his tunic again. He set one hand over hers, as if on instinct. "It's complicated. She used to bug me in the crèche; wanted to have bug-eating contests."

Owen managed to keep a straight face at that, barely, biting the tip of his tongue, and leaning against the doorframe. "That doesn't explain the here and now."

"Master Yoda is a troll," Anakin said, tilting his head back, and a too-fond smile on his face for someone he called _Master_. Owen knew his history; Anakin had been a slave, just like Shmi had been. For him to so easily call someone Master - that didn't sit right with him. "Decided to throw me a Padawan, and decided that it might as well be the kid who bit me when we met."

"She _what_?"

"She was two, and I was ignoring her," Anakin said as if that made it any better - it didn't. "She still eats bugs."

That was enough for Owen. He straightened, turning away, and calling over his shoulder. "We'll wake you two up tomorrow."

"Sounds good."

* * *

When Owen stepped into the room the next morning, both of the Jedi were on the floor. Anakin was on his side, back pressed against the wall, just below the shelf that made up the bed, the togruta curled up with her back against his chest, hugging one of his arms in both of his, knees pulled up close. Owen sighed. "Morning."

Anakin opened his eyes first, sitting up straight, remarkably awake for having been asleep two seconds earlier. The togruta was slower, dragged up by how Anakin moved, ending up in his lap because she refused to let go of his arm. Anakin looked down at her, fond, yet exasperated. "Ahsoka..."

"Jaieh," she responded, in an identical tone, hiding her face in his arm. He rolled his eyes, and stood up, forcing her to stand as well. She let go after a few seconds, brushing herself off, and adjusting her clothes, glancing up at Owen, and then at Anakin, tilting her head ever so slightly. "Tamah bika kodaik?"

"Tattooine," Anakin answered, setting a hand on her shoulder, and guiding her out of the room, following Owen down the hall. He listened to them as he walked towards the kitchen, where he'd already set out breakfast, Beru half-awake but also not awake at all, staring at a cup of caf blankly, as if she couldn't remember what it was. "Remember? Aayla is coming."

"Jaieh Aayla?" Ahsoka questioned, brightening at that prospect, sitting down in the seat Anakin herded her to. "Really? I thought she was on - uh - where was -"

"Anohrah," Anakin filled in. "She was in bacta. You may be remembering someone else."

Ahsoka shrugged. "Can't keep track. Was easier when we were all together."

Anakin sighed at that, sad and resigned to something, running a hand over her montrals, over the dip between the peaks. She squirmed, as if it was ticklish, and stifled a laugh, batting his hand away. They looked familiar. Kind. Owen wondered if all the Jedi were like that when they were together. It was sweet, in a strange way.

Ahsoka sniffed at the blue milk and glanced at Anakin, who nodded, encouraging her. She took a sip and considered it. "Weird. But good weird. Like Master Yoda's stew."

Anakin snorted, elbowing her gently. "Don't talk about your Grand Master that way."

"But _you_ do it."

"He thinks it's funny, that's why I can do it."

She pouted at him, and he gave her a pointed, if slightly soft, look. She started to eat, not complaining once at how bland the bread was, or how the milk was warm. She didn’t even look surprised or bothered, which was a nice change from the last off-planet visitors they’d hosted.

Owen had hated those people.

Anakin didn’t say anything either. He kept an eye on Ahsoka the entire time but didn’t say anything, the first half of the meal passing in silence.

Beru cleared her throat, more awake once she'd downed a full cup of caf with too many stims mixed in, about as awake as the rest of them, at long last. “How did you two end up on Tatooine?”

”Senate.” Anakin said flatly, eyes narrowing every-so-much at the word. “We weren’t too pleased with the assignment, but the closest person is a system away, would have taken too long.”

”We handled it,” Ahsoka chirped cheerfully, nibbling at her bread. “Wasn’t so hard.”

”Just wondering why Dooku was here,” Anakin muttered, eyes sliding over to study Ahsoka, before meeting Owen’s. “Other than to harass us. He hates our lineage, for whatever reason.”

”Because you’ve all ‘failed him’ or something,” Ahsoka said, adding air quotes with her fingers, then freezing. “Wait, I’m part of your lineage now.”

Anakin scoffed. “That you are. You'll never get another moment of peace."

She groaned, head falling onto the table, gently enough that nothing was disturbed, but heavy enough to add to the dramatics. Anakin laughed, tugging at her shoulder, and getting her to sit up straight. He looked over at Owen and Beru, the smile sliding away bit by bit. "Sorry about the impromptu visit. Didn't want to stay out there with her."

"I can handle myself," Ahsoka grumbled.

"Sure you can."

She eyed him warily, eyes narrowing. "You're being mean. Caleb might drop paint on you soon."

It was one of the more surreal moments in Owen's life. He knew very little about the Jedi. What he did know what more rumours and smugglers tales, than they were truths. But they all shared the same themes; the Jedi were strict, they were emotionless, they were serene. They didn't smirk at each other and smile and tease and know each other, visibly love each other.

Perhaps it was just Anakin, who nudged at Ahsoka, encouraging her to eat. Perhaps it was just the two of them, exceptions to the rule.

They helped clean up the meal, Ahsoka easily helping, not questioning anything, pausing, and setting the cup she'd helped clean down, turning to Anakin, who was glaring at his arm. She reached for it, and he pulled away. She frowned, but said nothing, letting her hands rest on the counter, fingers tracing the cracks in the stone, eyes glazing over slightly as she hummed a tune in the back of her throat, lips parted ever so much.

"Aayla will be here soon," Anakin said, putting his ungloved hand on her shoulder, and she looked up at him. "Keel kewan."

"Haj dai," she answered, dipping her head. She did the same with both Beru and Owen, as if it were a sort of bow, before darting away to go do whatever he'd asked over her. Anakin looked back to Owen and paused, clearly considering what he was supposed to do, what was polite, what was rude, what to say. 

"You can go with her," Owen said. He didn't really know how to interact with Anakin, what to say to him. "Or -"

"Mom's grave," Anakin said absently, and Owen nodded. "I'll find it. Thank you."

* * *

Owen did find Anakin at Shmi's grave. Ahsoka was there two, the both of them sitting across from each other, kneeling on the waves of sand, hands gently held together, nearly brushing the dull yellow grains. They were both relaxed, and sitting tall, their shoulders back and chins raised. Between them, Owen could see the gravemarker. He didn't interrupt, waiting for them a slight distance away. They looked like they were praying, which was strange since Owen was pretty sure that Jedi weren't religious - or were they? Were they religious? He didn't know. Nobody really knew much about the Jedi.

It was too hot out for them. Ahsoka didn't have proper clothing on, and while Anakin was only moderately better, he was also wearing black, in a desert, during the day. Owen glanced up at the suns, biting the inside of his lip, wondering if he should drag them in.

It sounded like he cared.

Kriff.

Turned out, he didn't have to drag them back in. Anakin stood up, helping Ahsoka, and the two of them started towards Owen, Anakin with an arm around Ahsoka's shoulders, the togruta leaning ever so slightly into him.

"Aayla's about to land," Anakin said when he was in hearing range, "Is there somewhere specific you'd like her to do it?"

"Not on the house," Owen said dryly, and Ahsoka grinned, eyes wide, even in the harsh sunlight that Owen constantly squinted again.

"Aayla can do that."

Within a few minutes, a small-ish ship was coming down for a landing, within range of the homestead, but far enough away that the kicked-up sand didn't hit those gathered around the building entrance. Ahsoka considered it, glancing up at Anakin. "Skyspirit, right? A courier?"

"That's right," he agreed, a voice in the background, as Owen shaded his eyes against the sun, squinting at the ship. A blue-skinned humanoid was coming out of it, towards them, and Owen mentally winced at the sight of her clothing. That would get her sold into slavery within seconds on Tattooine. It made his head hurt, honestly.

When she was close by, Ahsoka stepped forwards, clasping her hands, and dipping into a bow, which Anakin copied, the woman, presumably Aayla, mirroring them. Ahsoka folded her hands behind her back, rising up and down on her toes. "Jersara, jaieh Aayla!"

"Pecha, Padawan Ahsoka," Aayla replied, smiling and turning to Anakin. "Keel henelru Anohrah?"

"Haj dai," he said, hands also behind his back, and from Owen's angle, he could see the half-hidden smirk Anakin was wearing. "Thanks for coming."

And then, in between one moment and the next, they're gone, Ahsoka chattering about a Caleb and a Barriss and a Cal, and how they'll want to hear about her adventure, with Anakin's hand across the back of her shoulders, Aayla's crossing his so they're mirroring one another, walking up the ramp and into the ship, almost looking like a family. 

**Author's Note:**

> It should be noted; most of the stories in this series have roots in THE FORCE WILLS documentary story I'm writing - it's in this series, actually. Hence the mention of Anakin and Ahsoka meeting in the crèche; in that story, Anakin was found at age three, and things are different. It's essentially my version of 'fuck canon but also no' crossed with 'found family is soft and I love' with a maybe-too-healthy dose of Dai Bendu thrown in.
> 
> [Tumblr](https://js71.tumblr.com/post/624273937698865152/submit-requests)!


End file.
